Process of and apparatus for flavoring tobacco



.(No Model.)

J. R. LAWRENCE. PmEss OF AND APPARATUS FOR FLAVORING TOBACCO. No. 248,481. I Patented Oct. 18,1881.

1E F l N, PETERS. PhohrLithngI-lpher. \Maswqjun. D. c.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICt JAMES R. LAWRENCE, OF DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR FLAV'ORING TOBACCO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,481, dated October 18, 1881.

Application filed March 2, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES R. LAWRENCE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Dur- 1 drum ham,in the county ofOrangeand State ofNorth Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus and Process for Flavoring Tobacco; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apperta-ins to ma re and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved apparatus and process for imparting the flavor to manufactured tobacco of an y descriptionsuch as granulated, long-cut, 850., for either smoking or chewing.

The object of my invention is to thoroughly and unitbrmlyimpregnate the tobacco with the extract ofthe flavoring material; to avoid making the tobacco damp, as is done by most of the processes employed, which interferes with its manipulation; to cheapen the process, and to adapt the product for keeping well.

My process and one form ofapparatus adapted for carrying it out will first be described, and the invention will then be designated in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section.

The letter A designates a cylindrical drum, made in any suitable manner, and mounted on standards A,which support it in a horizontal position. Aroiaryhollowshaft,B,extendshorizontally through the ends of the drum, and to the shaft within the drum radial arms U are fixed. The end ofeach of these arms supports a curved metal plate, D, which extends in a general direction lengthwise of the cylinder, but sets at a twist or spirally relative to the hollow shaft.

At one end, and above the drum, a hopper, E, isplaced, and below the hopper, and between it and the drum, is a partitioned wheel, F, mounted on a horizontal shaft, 1), and inclosed by a closely-fittin g case, 0, which connects the 50 hopper with an opening in the'drum. The

wheelF is so constructed and closelyfitted within the case as to make the opening into the practically yapor-tight. One extremity I of the shaft on which the partitioned wheel is mounted has a pulley, G, and this connects with another pulley, G, on the hollow shaft by means of the belt H. At the other end, and below the drum, is an openingwhich delivers into the casing d, and within this casing is closelyfittedapartitioned wheel,J, mounted on a shaft, 6, whose extremity outside of the easing has a pulley, K, which connects with another pulley, K, on the hollow shaft by means of the belt L. The construction of this wheel and the case which incloses it is, like that of the 6 wheel F, such as to guard the opening into the drum and prevent vapor from escaping.

At one end of the hollow shaft is a drive-pulley, B, by which rotary motion is imparted to the curved plates within the drum and wheels F and J. The other end of the shaft B connects with a pipe, N, by means ofa suitable coupling, P, so as to make a tightjoint. The pipe N leads fIOIlljthGShftftB,WhlOh is perforated throughout its length, as shown, for a purpose hereinafter explained, to a retort or still, It, in which the flavoringmaterial is vaporized. Theretortmay be constructed in any suitable manner. In the present instance an outer cast-iron casing, Q, is supported in bearin gs or standards g, a copper "essel, R, constituting the retort or still proper, is fitted within the iron casing in such manner as to leave an intervening space, h, around the sides and bottom, aflange at the top of the copper vessel resting on the rim of the casing. A suitable cover, 2', is clamped to the top of the casing and over the copper vessel, and packed with material suitable for making it steam-tight. A steam-pipe, S, connects through the bottom of the casing with the in- 0 tervening space It around the retort, and the pipeN connects directly with the retort through the cover, the said pipe being provided with a cook, a.

In carrying out my process-the above-de- 5 scribed apparatus is employed in the following manner: The flavoring material, of any desired kind which yields its properties when subjected to the action ofthe alcoholic spirits, is placed in the retort, together with the requisite quantity I00 ofspirits. Steam isturnedon,and,b vsurroundin g the retort, heats the contents. This or any other mode of applying heat makes the material yield its flavoring properties to the spirits, the vapor of which is the vehicle for carrying the flavor to the tobacco. The tobacco to be flavored is placed in the hopper E, from which it is carried in regular quantities by the revolution of the partitioned wheel F, and delivered into the drum,which is filled with the flavored and perfumed vapor, which enters through the perforations in the hollow shaft, the vapor coming from the retort by the pipe N. The constant rotation of the metal plates D, attached to the arms, serves to toss about or agitate the tobacco by frequently elevating and dropping it through the vapor, whereby every part of the tobacco is thoroughly impregnated, and at the same time is gradually carried toward the other end of the drum, and, finally,is delivered into the outlet-wheel J, by which it is removed without permitting any appreciable waste or escape of the vapor.

From the foregoing it will be seen the process consists of placing the flavoring material, together with a suflicient quantity of alcoholic spirit or other dissolvent, in a suitable retort or still, heating the same until the vapor has the requisite density, then conducting the va por to and entering it within a practically close or air-tight case containing the tobacco, and thoroughly tossing about or agitating the to bacco in the presence of the vapor.

This process has several important advair tages.

First. In the matter of economy, by distilling the flavoring material in alcoholic spirit the oil is completely extracted, and the vapor made is suflicient to impregnate or impart flavor to about one-third more tobacco. Second. The flavor is really better from the same material, as the vapor is devoid of those properties which the material yields to a liquid extract madeby maceration or percolation, and which burns the mouth. The properties referred to are the bitter resinous and vegetable matter which, in the ordinaryliquid extract, is in a state of solution.

Third. As vapor only comes in contact with the tobacco, the latter is not liable to become 1 too damp, and its proper manipulation is not interfered with. The result is the tobacco is preserved as against mold, mildew, or, what is commonly expressed, funking! Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLettcrs Patent of the United States- 1. The herein-described process of imparting flavor to manufactured tobacco, which consists in placing the flavoring material with a dissolvent in a retort or still, heating the same to produce vapor, entering the vapor within a practically tight case containing the tobacco, and thoroughly agitating and tossing the tobacco about in the presence of the vapor,as set forth.

2. In an apparatus for imparting flavor to manufactured tobacco, the combination of an outer casing, an inlet-opening in the top of the casing guarded by a partitioned wheel, an outlet-opening in the bottom of the casing, also guarded by a partitioned wheel, means, sub stant-ially as described, within the casing to toss about or agitate the tobacco, and a pipe opening into the casingthrough which flavored vapor is entered, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES R. L AVRENG E.

\Vitnesses:

J. C. ANGIER, J OHN Pt. Pnoo'roa. 

